In the fall of 2020, researchers, cultural and natural resource managers, officials, practitioners and collaborators were convened by the Pacific Islands CASC to discuss  climate change impacts and adaptation for ecosystems and communities in the region. The two-day summit was hosted by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in conjunction with its consortium partners at UH Hilo and the University of Guam. The event provided an opportunity for attendees to share recent and ongoing research and related resource management efforts in Hawaiʻi, while organizers aimed to highlight and strengthen partnerships and collaborations. The event also featured research and resource management presentations that illustrated ongoing work across different focal areas important to the region including changing plant communities, fire, drought, water resources, biocultural connections, and sea-level rise and coastal resilience. Organizations represented included U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Regional Integrated Sciences & Assessments, Water Resources Research Center, USDA Southwest Climate Hub, Heʻeia National Estuarine Research Reserve and UH Sea Grant College Program.  

“We were excited to meet as a large group with our regional partners and stakeholders to talk together about our mutual concerns for addressing climate change adaptation,” said Mari-Vaughn Johnson, the USGS federal director for Pacific Islands CASC. “Cultivating larger collaborative networks is integral to supporting communities across the Pacific in developing sustainable solutions to challenges posed by climate change.”